Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Delialdonze’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Delialdonze’ characterized by its upright and uniform plant habit; vigorous growth habit; strong flowering stems; freely branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; uniform flowering response; semi-double-type inflorescences with pink-colored ray florets and light green-colored disc florets; and good postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Chrysanthemum×morifolium.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DELIALDONZE’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofChrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemum×morifolium,commercially grown as a cut flower and hereinafter referred to by thename ‘Delialdonze’.

The new Chrysanthemum plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Maasdijk, The Netherlands. The objective ofthe breeding program is to create new vigorous semi-double-typeChrysanthemum plants with attractive ray floret coloration and excellentpostproduction longevity.

The new Chrysanthemum plant originated from a cross-pollination made bythe Inventor in Maasdijk, The Netherlands in March, 2005 of aproprietary selection of Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as codenumber DB 10220, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with aproprietary selection of Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as codenumber DB 9992, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The newChrysanthemum plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as asingle flowering plant from within the progeny of the statedcross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Maasdijk,The Netherlands in June, 2006.

Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum plant by terminal cuttingsin a controlled greenhouse environment in Maasdijk, The Netherlandssince June, 2006, has shown that the unique features of this newChrysanthemum plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotypemay vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature,daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance ingenotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Delialdonze’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Delialdonze’ as a new and distinctChrysanthemum plant:

-   -   1. Upright and uniform plant habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Strong flowering stems.    -   4. Freely branching habit.    -   5. Early and freely flowering habit.    -   6. Uniform flowering response.    -   7. Semi-double-type inflorescences with pink-colored ray florets        and light green-colored disc florets.    -   8. Good postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ from plants of the female parentselection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flower earlier than plants of        the female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have larger inflorescences        than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ from plants of the male parentselection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have larger inflorescences        than plants of the male parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum and the male parent selection        differ in ray floret color as plants of the male parent        selection have white-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants ofChrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Leon’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.17,429. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Maasdijk, TheNetherlands, plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of‘Leon’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had fewer inflorescences per        flowering stem than plants of ‘Leon’.    -   2. Disc florets of plants of the new Chrysanthemum were light        green in color whereas disc florets of plants of ‘Leon’ were        yellow green in color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Chrysanthemum plant showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe colors of the new Chrysanthemum plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of atypical flowering stem of ‘Delialdonze’ grown as a spray type.

The photograph on the second sheet comprises close-up views of the upper(top of the photographic sheet) and lower surfaces (bottom ofphotographic sheet) of typical inflorescences and leaves of‘Delialdonze’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations andmeasurements describe plants grown during the autumn in ground beds in aglass-covered greenhouse in Maasdijk, The Netherlands and under culturalpractices typical of cut Chrysanthemum production. Plants were initiallygiven two weeks of long day/short night treatments followed by shortday/long night treatments to induce flower initiation and development.During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 18° C.to 25° C., night temperatures ranged from 20° C. to 22° C. and lightlevels were about 7,000 lux. Plants were nine weeks old when thephotographs and the description were taken. In the followingdescription, color references are made to The Royal HorticulturalSociety Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Delialdonze’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number DB 10220,            not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number DB 9992,            not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About four days at 20° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About six days at 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 13 days            at 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 15 days            at 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; light brown in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching, moderately dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous semi-double-type cut            flower that is typically grown as a spray-type; upright and            uniform plant habit; vigorous growth habit.        -   Flowering stem description.—Aspect: Erect. Length: About            85 cm. Spray diameter: About 20 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm.            Lateral branch length: About 5 cm to 10 cm. Lateral branch            diameter: About 2 cm to 5 cm. Internode length: About 2 cm            to 3 cm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Pubescent;            longitudinally ridged. Color: Close to 146C.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate; simple. Length:            About 7 cm to 11 cm. Width: About 5 cm to 8 cm. Shape:            Roughly ovate, palmately lobed. Apex: Mucronulate. Base:            Attenuate. Margin: Palmately lobed, serrate; sinuses            parallel to convergent. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Pubescent, slightly rough; veins prominent on lower surface.            Venation pattern: Pinnate, reticulate. Color: Developing            leaves, upper surface: Close to N137C. Developing leaves,            lower surface: Close to 147B. Fully developed leaves, upper            surface: Close to N137B; venation, close to 147B. Fully            developed leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B; venation,            close to 147C. Petiole: Length: About 2 cm to 2.5 cm.            Diameter: About 3 mm to 4 mm. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Pubescent, slightly rough. Color, upper surface:            Close to 147B. Color, lower surface: Close to 147C.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Appearance.—Semi-double type inflorescence form with            oblong-shaped ray florets; inflorescences borne on            terminals, arising from leaf axils; ray and disc florets            develop acropetally on a capitulum.        -   Fragrance.—Moderately fragrant.        -   Flowering response.—Under natural conditions, plant flower            in the autumn and winter in the Northern Hemisphere; at            other times of the year, inflorescence initiation and            development can be induced under short day/long night            conditions (at least 13.5 hours of darkness); early and            uniform flowering response; plants exposed two weeks of long            day/short night conditions after planting followed by            photoinductive short day/long night conditions flower about            47 days later when grown as a spray-type.        -   Postproduction longevity.—In an interior environment,            inflorescences and foliage will maintain good color and            substance for about two weeks; inflorescences persistent.        -   Quantity of inflorescences.—Freely flowering habit; when            grown as a spray type, about twelve inflorescences develop            per flowering stem.        -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 7 cm. Depth (height):            About 1 cm to 1.5 cm. Disc diameter: About 1.5 cm.            Receptacle height: About 6 mm. Receptacle diameter: About 6            mm to 8 mm. Receptacle color: Close to 145B.        -   Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 3 mm to 4 mm. Diameter:            About 8 mm. Shape: Flattened spherical. Color: Close to 137C            and 149D.        -   Ray florets.—Length: About 2.5 cm to 3 cm. Width: About            1.5 cm. Shape: Oblong. Apex: Rounded to emarginate. Base:            Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Angle: Initially upright to close            to perpendicular to the peduncle with development. Texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; satiny. Number            per inflorescence: About 20 arranged in about two whorls.            Color: When opening, upper surface: Between 75B and 75D.            When opening, lower surface: Close to 75D. Fully opened,            upper surface: Close to 75C; color becoming closer to            between 75C and 75D with development. Fully opened, lower            surface: Close to 75D.        -   Disc florets.—Shape: Fused tubular, elongated. Apex:            Dentate. Length: About 6 mm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm. Number            per inflorescence: About 250 massed at the center of the            receptacle. Color, immature: Apex: Close to 145A.            Mid-section: Close to 15C. Base: Close to 145D. Color,            mature: Apex: Close to 145D. Mid-section: Close to 145C to            145D. Base: Close to 145C.        -   Involucral bracts.—Length: About 6 mm to 10 mm. Width: About            3 mm to 6 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Rounded. Base: Rounded to            truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Smooth, glabrous. Number per inflorescence: About 30            arranged in about two to three whorls. Color, upper surface:            Close to 137B. Color, lower surface: Close to N137C.        -   Peduncles.—Length, fourth peduncle: About 10 cm. Length,            seventh peduncle: About 12 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Angle:            About 30° from vertical. Strength: Strong. Texture:            Pubescent; longitudinally ridged. Color: Close to 146A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Not observed. Gynoecium:            Present on both ray and disc florets. Style length: About            6 mm. Style color: Greenish. Stigma color: Yellowish.        -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit production has not been            observed on plants of the new Chrysanthemum.-   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have not    been observed to resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Chrysanthemum plants grown under commercial production conditions.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant named‘Delialdonze’ as illustrated and described.